The present invention relates to a device and a method for informing passengers of waiting times in an elevator installation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,533 discloses an elevator installation with several elevators in a building and with a plurality of loudspeakers mounted at floors of the building and in cars of the installation. Passengers waiting at the start floor are informed by way of these loudspeakers by announcements about a car to be used for reaching a destination floor, the anticipated arrival time and the occupancy of these cars as well as generally about the operational state of the elevator installation.
According to this teaching in the case of peak times, with a large number of passengers in front of the entrances to the elevators, a correspondingly large number of loudspeaker announcements are made which leads to background noise taxing the waiting passengers. In addition, the passengers have to constantly and closely concentrate in order to hear the announcements intended for them, which is wearisome and confusing. A more pleasant and less hectic means of informing the passengers is desirable.
It is further desirable to inform the passengers not just once about the cars to be used and their expected arrival time, but to keep them up-to-date individually and either continuously or at intervals in time about the development of the traffic volume. This contributes to reassurance of the passengers particularly in the case of unexpected delays in the handling of traffic.